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- China's 618 shopping festival faced challenges, despite creative strategies to attract shoppers.
- Alibaba, ByteDance, and JD.com offered large discounts amid an uncertain economic environment.
- By one measure, 618 sales — a barometer of consumer health — fell nearly 7% year-on-year.
China's e-commerce platforms worked hard to attract shoppers during the country's annual 618 shopping festival. But economic troubles got in the way of big sales.